The stars won't go out at El Paso's only planetarium after its current home closes at the end of the year.

The Gene Roddenberry Planetarium will find a new home at Crosby Elementary School in Northeast El Paso through a city-funded grant that officials say is a good move for both the facility and its new community.

The El Paso Independent School District, which operates the planetarium, will receive a $951,000 community development block grant from the city of El Paso to move the facility to Crosby.

Carmen Arrieta-Candelaria, deputy superintendent of finance and operations at the EPISD, said Crosby was a good fit for the planetarium because of its location and offerings.

"It's a great investment not only for that community but also when we get visitors from throughout the region," Arrieta-Candelaria said. "I just think it's a great opportunity to be able to collaborate with one another and show what we can do when we work together."

The city will fund renovations to Crosby to accommodate the planetarium, including a 40-foot dome, new roof, main entrance improvements, partition walls, floor coverings, new lighting and a stargazing area, according to city documentation.

In accordance with the grant terms, the EPISD will contribute about 18 percent, or about $208,000, to the project, Arrieta-Candelaria said. The total price tag of the planetarium project is about $1.2 million, according to city documentation.

The project will need to be completed within 12 months of when the EPISD and the city sign the agreement, which has not yet happened, Arrieta-Candelaria said.

The planetarium is currently housed at the EPISD's central offices, at 6531 Boeing Drive in Central El Paso. The EPISD is set to vacate that property by the end of 2019. The district purchased a 10-story building near Downtown for its new headquarters, but the move does not include funding or space for the planetarium.

The planetarium was named after Gene Roddenberry, the El Paso-born creator of "Star Trek." The facility opened in 1969, and since then thousands of visitors have spent time under the dark, dome-shaped ceiling, learning about things unfathomably far away.

Crosby Elementary, at 5411 Wren Ave., near Irvin High School, is set to close in August 2021 under the 2016 voter-approved $668.7 million bond. Crosby will be consolidated with Dowell and Schuster elementary schools.

The planetarium would be housed in Crosby's multipurpose room until the campus closes, Arrieta-Candelaria said. Students would not be able to use that room for activities.

It's still unclear what will happen to the rest of Crosby after it closes. The school has a capacity of 731 students.

"We're committed to conducting community meetings and getting input, but at this point we don't have any definite plans for Crosby," Arrieta-Candelaria said.

Crosby was selected as the new home for the planetarium because the campus sits inside the city's District 4, and the grant specifications required the project be placed in either that district or District 2, Arrieta-Candelaria said.

"It's a newer facility, in really good shape, so we felt this was a really great fit for our community," Arrieta-Candelaria said.

EPISD trustee Diane Dye, who represents the Crosby and Irvin area, said the planetarium addition is wonderful news for students and families in Northeast El Paso.

"It's good family entertainment," Dye said. "They want to learn about the stars, and the Northeast is probably the darkest area of the city."

Crosby is closer to the Franklin Mountains than the planetarium's current home, which means it will be in a place with less light pollution from the city. Arrieta-Candelaria said there are plans to have a stargazing area as part of the new design, and Dye suggested programs like telescope viewing parties.

"It's a beautiful way to introduce space and space science to our younger ones," Dye said. "What else could we want? Engaging students is our job."

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Students attending Austin High School were given a chance to watch portions of the solar eclipse which was partially seen here in El Paso at about 68%. Students and faculty watched from the schools quadrangle during the three hours from start to finish Monday morning. The first day of school in EPISD not only witnessed the eclipse but also the return of over 60,000 students to the district. RUBEN R. RAMIREZ/EL PASO TIMES

Students attending Austin High School were given a chance to watch portions of the solar eclipse which was partially seen here in El Paso at about 68%. Students and faculty watched from the schools quadrangle during the three hours from start to finish Monday morning. The first day of school in EPISD not only witnessed the eclipse but also the return of over 60,000 students to the district. RUBEN R. RAMIREZ/EL PASO TIMES

Students attending Austin High School were given a chance to watch portions of the solar eclipse which was partially seen here in El Paso at about 68%. Students and faculty watched from the schools quadrangle during the three hours from start to finish Monday morning. The first day of school in EPISD not only witnessed the eclipse but also the return of over 60,000 students to the district. RUBEN R. RAMIREZ/EL PASO TIMES

Students attending Austin High School were given a chance to watch portions of the solar eclipse which was partially seen here in El Paso at about 68%. Students and faculty watched from the schools quadrangle during the three hours from start to finish Monday morning. The first day of school in EPISD not only witnessed the eclipse but also the return of over 60,000 students to the district. RUBEN R. RAMIREZ/EL PASO TIMES

Students attending Austin High School were given a chance to watch portions of the solar eclipse which was partially seen here in El Paso at about 68%. Students and faculty watched from the schools quadrangle during the three hours from start to finish Monday morning. The first day of school in EPISD not only witnessed the eclipse but also the return of over 60,000 students to the district. RUBEN R. RAMIREZ/EL PASO TIMES

Students attending Austin High School were given a chance to watch portions of the solar eclipse which was partially seen here in El Paso at about 68%. Students and faculty watched from the schools quadrangle during the three hours from start to finish Monday morning. The first day of school in EPISD not only witnessed the eclipse but also the return of over 60,000 students to the district. RUBEN R. RAMIREZ/EL PASO TIMES

Students at Austin High School on Monday watch a portion of the solar eclipse, which was about 60 percent in El Paso but was a total eclipse in other parts of the country. The day also was the first day of class for students in the district. RUBEN R. RAMIREZ/EL PASO TIMES

Students attending Austin High School were given a chance to watch portions of the solar eclipse which was partially seen here in El Paso at about 68%. Students and faculty watched from the schools quadrangle during the three hours from start to finish Monday morning. The first day of school in EPISD not only witnessed the eclipse but also the return of over 60,000 students to the district. RUBEN R. RAMIREZ/EL PASO TIMES

Students attending Austin High School were given a chance to watch portions of the solar eclipse which was partially seen here in El Paso at about 68%. Students and faculty watched from the schools quadrangle during the three hours from start to finish Monday morning. The first day of school in EPISD not only witnessed the eclipse but also the return of over 60,000 students to the district. RUBEN R. RAMIREZ/EL PASO TIMES

Students attending Austin High School were given a chance to watch portions of the solar eclipse which was partially seen here in El Paso at about 68%. Students and faculty watched from the schools quadrangle during the three hours from start to finish Monday morning. The first day of school in EPISD not only witnessed the eclipse but also the return of over 60,000 students to the district. RUBEN R. RAMIREZ/EL PASO TIMES

Students attending Austin High School were given a chance to watch portions of the solar eclipse which was partially seen here in El Paso at about 68%. Students and faculty watched from the schools quadrangle during the three hours from start to finish Monday morning. The first day of school in EPISD not only witnessed the eclipse but also the return of over 60,000 students to the district. RUBEN R. RAMIREZ/EL PASO TIMES

Students attending Austin High School were given a chance to watch portions of the solar eclipse which was partially seen here in El Paso at about 68%. Students and faculty watched from the schools quadrangle during the three hours from start to finish Monday morning. The first day of school in EPISD not only witnessed the eclipse but also the return of over 60,000 students to the district. RUBEN R. RAMIREZ/EL PASO TIMES

Students attending Austin High School were given a chance to watch portions of the solar eclipse which was partially seen here in El Paso at about 68%. Students and faculty watched from the schools quadrangle during the three hours from start to finish Monday morning. The first day of school in EPISD not only witnessed the eclipse but also the return of over 60,000 students to the district. RUBEN R. RAMIREZ/EL PASO TIMES